Aecht Schlenkerla Weichsel - Rotbier (i.e. red lager)

Klosterbräu is famous for their pale bock. It's probably them I'd guess.

 

I wish I could remember -- I can recall the room, and I "acquired" a table tent advertising the beer (I believe it was seasonal, because I was there during Maibockzeit). Another artifact to dig up.

Klosterbräu is up the hill, right? I didn't make it to that one, so it was another.*

*Just looked at images, wasn't the place I was at.

 

Probably be a year or more before my sorry ass state gets or sees this one. I'm totally down to try this one.

 

there is a review with pic on untappd

 

I agree 100% with that.
I haven't had a bad one from them yet.

 

I was in Bamberg six weeks ago and there was no mention of it then even there.

 

I wonder if the first batch went USA first???????

 

Interesting, thanks for the information. Available (online) at 26/06/2023. I'll definitely try it

 

If it was Klosterbräu's he'd remember.

 

Well, I did say I know I didn't get to that one.

And I AM old.

 

The rest of their beers are good. I'll have to look for Rotbier at Total Wine.

 

The beer is on the Schlenkerla German website. They plan on serving it at their "smoked beer preservation day" on July 23rd. It feels like the folks at Schlenkerla have significantly ramped up their interest in introducing new beers in the last few years. Even if Matthias Trum is doing it his way, I wonder how much of it is due to market pressures or nudging from B United.

I'll buy cans if that's all I can find, but I'm definitely going to try to get bottles instead if possible. I've had great cans of Schlenkerla, but I'm at the point where I won't consider a Connecticut canned import as a totally proper try of an imported beer.

The name of the beer feels very awkward for the American market, but I'm glad (or surprised) they aren't changing it for import. The last attempts at that didn't turn out well in my eyes. I get how there is some level of historical precedent with the choice of cherry wood, but the entire beer concept actually feels like a US craft beer concept. Frankly, the idea of using cherry wood to make malt for a Rotbier strikes me as a similar concept to adding coffee to a "cream ale." (Even if I personally find the results of the former far more alluring than the latter.) I get it... this is their "Weichsel" beer in all caps and with an exclamation point... and word associations rank higher than sensory recipe development. Don't mistake me though... I can't wait to try the beer.

The branding of this beer conforms to Schlenkerla's pattern of only labeling their beers made with beech wood dried malt as Rauchbiere. I always liked how conservative they were in this regard and how that clashed with everybody else considering all of their smokey beers as Rauchbiere. I feel like we've gotten to the point in the US where someone will casually call an American peat smoked porter a "Rauchbier" and people don't think it's strange. It makes me wince.

@TongoRad

 

@zid -- so, You're seeing a marketing mistake along the lines of Moose Drool and SPATen? (yes, there was a BA who avoided Spaten because he pronounced it wrong)

To be honest, I don't think I've ever talked to anyone outside a brewery tasting room or brew-pub who even knew what a Rauchbier was.

 

Agreed with this. I bought some canned JW Lees Port cask barleywine and its one of the worst decisions I've made/ beers I've had in years. I would have been better off buying some apple cidre vinegar and chugging that.

 

Has anyone had the opportunity to try this one yet?

 

Sorry, I am missing something. What do you mean? Because of “rot”?

 

@zid I'm curious why you think it sounds like something from a modern American craft brewer? Is it the claim of using modern aroma hops?

 

Exactly.

 

What? Why? The can is the superior package. I've never had a bad can from the tank container canning project, while some of the imported bottles have obviously not survived the trip in tip top condition. If given the choice I will buy the can every time.

For those wondering the Rotbier is drinking like a dream and what a refreshing drink it is compared to the wasteland of hazies.

Edit: If I had one criticism of the B.United's tank container canning project it would be that they stopped putting canning dates on the packaging.